Pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside Jewish community centres in Vancouver and Winnipeg on April 1 are propelling calls for the urgent implementation of legislation that would require areas outside schools, places of worship and community centres, among others, to be free from protests.
Variously dubbed safety zones or bubble zones, these areas would block protests outside potentially vulnerable places, such as synagogues and Jewish community centres. Mosques, churches and daycares would similarly fall within the realm of safety-zone legislation.
In Vancouver, a handful of pro-Palestinian protesters stood outside the city’s Jewish Community Centre (JCC) on Tuesday under the mistaken impression that the Israeli consul Idit Shamir was in the building. Despite being notified by JCC staff that the consul was located elsewhere, the protesters continued undeterred.
“The targeting of a community space—where families, children, and seniors gather—crosses a dangerous line. These actions underscore the need for the provincial government to move ahead with its work to protect safe access to religious and ethno-cultural spaces,” Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, told The CJN.
Vancouver Federation, the Vancouver JCC and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), also put out a joint statement denouncing the protest on Tuesday afternoon. In it, they reaffirmed that the incident was an attack on the community in an area where everyone should feel safe and secure.
The statement added that, though the organizations support freedom of expression, the protests appear “to be a direct act of intimidation on Jewish community members.”
“The safety and security of our community members, including seniors, children and families who have no connection to broader geopolitical issues, is of utmost importance. Such actions amount to collective punishment, are entirely unacceptable, and must be denounced outright.”
Joint statement from Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs @CIJAinfo , and the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCC) in connection to today's protest outside the JCCGV.
— Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver (@JewishVancouver) April 1, 2025
Full statement: https://t.co/izQtftMQ40 pic.twitter.com/L4FX86PH7U
Jewish groups are worried that this type of protest might become more frequent and emphasize that it runs counter to the basic principles of respect and co-existence. Additionally, they asked politicians and other community leaders to condemn the actions of the protests and guarantee that these institutions are safe places for all.
Selina Robinson, a former provincial cabinet member, spoke out as well. She took to social media to ask Niki Sharma, the current British Columbia attorney general, why more is not being done.
“What happened to the bubble legislation? You said children would be protected from this behaviour,” she wrote.
Meanwhile in Winnipeg, anti-Israel groups demonstrated outside the Asper Jewish Community Campus (AJCC), home to the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, Gray Academy of Jewish Education, Jewish Child and Family Services and the Rady JCC, on April 1.
🚨 This is antisemitism 👇
— HonestReporting Canada🎗️ (@HonestRepCanada) April 2, 2025
🔗 https://t.co/np55nJLWXj pic.twitter.com/4QHVoEowMH
According to Jeff Lieberman, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, pro-Palestinian supporters had posted on social media that they were planning to protest an appearance by two members of the Israel Defense Forces who were scheduled to speak at the AJCC. The two soldiers are on a national speaking tour, entitled ‘Triggered, The Tour: From Combat to Campus.’ In Winnipeg the event was sponsored by the Students Supporting Israel group.
Winnipeg Federation notified city police about what they were seeing and, by Lieberman’s estimate, about 50 officers arrived. Both the pro-Palestinian protest, organized by the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba (CPAM), and a counter-protest by Jewish community members went on simultaneously.
Eventually, the audience for the IDF speakers moved inside and the CPAM protesters dispersed.
Lieberman voiced the concerns of many in the community who feel threatened by having protests come to what is expected to be a safe place, at a time when many parents were there to pick up their children from daycare.
“It was aggravating for it to be on our home turf. We have spoken with various governmental groups about having a place where we feel safe. People should not feel intimidated here,” Lieberman told The CJN.
“Clearly they were here to intimidate us and that should not be allowed. I am proud of our community and how they handled themselves with dignity.”
He went on to stress the need for bubble legislation, emphasizing that it would be there to protect everyone, whether they enter a church, synagogue or mosque.
This is not the first time anti-Israel demonstrations have been held near the AJCC. Last August, during Winnipeg’s Folklorama, an annual cultural festival in the city, demonstrators waved Palestinian flags across the street from the AJCC, which at the time was hosting Israel’s pavilion.
Lieberman was joined by Gustavo Zentner, CIJA’s vice-president for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, in releasing a statement that said the events of Tuesday had no place in Winnipeg.
“Winnipeg is a vibrant, multicultural city, and yet—as we saw at last summer’s Folklorama festival—the Jewish community has once again been deliberately targeted to instill fear and disrupt daily life,” they said. “There is no justification for demonstrations that make families with young children feel unsafe or interfere with access to their school and community activities.
“No community should be singled out and subjected to harassment that prevents individuals from safely accessing places of study, recreation, or worship.”
For over a year, they have been urging law enforcement and government officials to take action to guarantee the security of all citizens by implementing safety zones outside schools and places of worship, and are demanding an end to the sort of harassment seen on Tuesday which, they say, threatens “democratic values and way of life.”
“Everyone has the right to live without fear. It’s time to act,” their statement read.
Liberal MP Ben Carr, who is running for re-election in Winnipeg South Centre commented on the protest on social media and supported the call for protest-free zones.
“I have long called for bubble legislation that will prevent any religiously associated facility from being the target of intimidation and protests. It’s modeled after the same type of laws in place to protect people entering an abortion clinic or blockades outside of hospitals like we saw during the pandemic. The protest planned outside of the Jewish Community Centre in Winnipeg today is completely unacceptable. If one wants to make a political statement or protest public policy, I support, always, the right to do it – but never in front of religiously affiliated spaces – whether they be Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Christian, or any other,” he said.
“Take your arguments to City Hall, the Legislature, or the Museum… but leave identifiable Jewish spaces alone. Period.”
I have long called for bubble legislation that will prevent any religiously associated facility from being the target of intimidation and protests. It’s modeled after the same type of laws in place to protect people entering an abortion clinic or blockades outside of hospitals… pic.twitter.com/7dou5odkKf
— Ben Carr (@BenCarrwpg) April 1, 2025
Conservative MP Marty Morantz, running for re-election in Winnipeg West, also criticized the protesters, saying,
“I unequivocally condemn the vile antisemitic demonstration last night at the Asper JCC. Protesting at a Jewish day school and holocaust museum is not acceptable. I call upon the Winnipeg Police Service to step in and ensure this never happens again.“
I unequivocally condemn the vile antisemitic demonstration last night at the Asper JCC. Protesting at a Jewish day school and holocaust museum is not acceptable. I call upon the Winnipeg Police Service to step in and ensure this never happens again. Hate like this has no place in… https://t.co/iY7OZiwn9G
— Marty Morantz 🇨🇦 (@marty_morantz) April 2, 2025
Lgislation protecting houses of worship has been instituted in several municipalities in the Toronto area. Last month, under bylaws implemented in Vaughan, Ont., roads were sealed off around an Orthodox synagogue which was hosting an Israel real estate expo, to prevent protests, which had occurred there several times in the past.
